Hydraulically adjustable dozer blade



Oct. 26, 1965 R. .FoY 3,213,553

HYDRAULICALLY ADJUSTABLE DOZER BLADE Filed 001;. 1, 1962 IN VEN TOR.

RICHARD FOY United States Patent 3,213,553 HYDRAULICALLY ADJUSTABLEDOZER BLADE Richard Foy, North Ridgeville, Ohio, assignor of one-half toGerard G. Weil, Cleveland, Ohio Filed Oct. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 227,980 3Claims. (Cl. 37-144) This invention relates generally to dozer equipmentand is specifically concerned with a hydraulically operated means ofblade control.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSerial No. 72,226, filed November 28, 1960, for Hydraulically AdjustableDozer Blade.

In the conventional bulldozer construction, the scraper blade is usuallymounted on a U-shaped frame which has its legs pivotally connected tothe dozer so that the blade can be raised and lowered. It is alsoconventional in some arrangements to provide hydraulic cylinders alongthe sides of the frame for angling the blade. In other knownarrangements, provision has been made for tilting the blade, and instill different constructions for changing the pitch of the blade.

The prior art has not, however, provided for an automatic means of bladecontrol which is operative to change the angle of the blade and, at thesame time, to adjust the angle of the cutting edge relative to thehorizontal when the blade is raised and lowered. The need for suchautomatic, universal control exists in many operations. For example,when an angled dozer blade is vertically raised by pivoting the U-shapedframe, the end of the blade nearest the dozer will be lower than theother end. This vertical angling of the blade often is disadvantageous,as in scalping operations where it is desired to have the cutting edgeof the blade horizontal.

Heretofore, in order to change the vertical angle of the cutting edge ofthe blade which has been raised and angled, it has been necessary forthe operator manually to adjust turnbuckles or the like. Such a manualoperation is known to be extremely difficult and is also time-consuming,since the operator is required to get off of the dozer when making theadjustment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improveddozer blade assembly which permits the blade angle and the angulardisposition of the blade cutting edge relative to the horizontal to beadjusted conveniently when the blade is raised and lowered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auto matic control foran adjustable blade assembly as described above.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blade assembly andautomatic control as previously described wherein the adjustment can bemade while the dozer is in motion.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improveddozer blade assembly and automatic control which is adaptable toexisting equipment.

The above objections of the invention are achieved by providing a dozerwith the usual U-shaped blade mounting frame which includes side frameportions connected forwardly of the dozer by a horizontal cross frame.An elongated dozer blade is universally mounted at its center to thecenter of the cross frame, and triangular frames are universallyconnected at vertically spaced points to each end of the blade. Therearwardly extending portions of the triangular frames are connected tohydraulic cylinder mechanisms secured to the fixed side frames, wherebythe angle of the blade can be adjusted.

The upper spaced connecting point of each triangular frame to the bladeis formed by a hydraulic cylinder carried by the frame and having itspiston rod attached to the blade. According to the novel concepts of theinvention, these hydraulic cylinder mechanisms are actuated in oppositedirections so as to longitudinally twist the dozer blade. Moreparticularly, when the blade is angled and raised, the hydrauliccylinder mechanism connected to the blade end nearest the dozer isretracted, while the mechanism connected to the opposite blade end isextended. The resulting twisting of the blade effectively adjusts thecutting edge of the blade so that it is disposed in a horizontal plane.

As will hereinafter be made apparent, the blade adjustment isadvantageously carried out automatically without requiring the operatorto get out of the dozer. Further, the blade assembly and control can beincorporated into existing equipment with a minimum amount of alterationand expense.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the novel and improved dozer blade assemblyand automatic control mechanism of the invention; and,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the invention shown mounted onthe forward end of a tractor indicated by broken lines.

Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral 5 designates theforward end of a tractor having an endless track drive 6 and a blademounting side frame structure 7.

The side frames 7 extend forwardly of the tractor and are connected by across beam 8 which has a forwardly extending stepped portion 9 formingan outwardly located central apex 10. The opposite ends of the sideframes are pivotally connected to the tractor 5 in the conventionalmanner so the cross beam 8 can be raised and lowered by suitableactuating mechanisms (not shown) acting between the tractor and the sideframe structure.

A rectangular opening 11 is cut at the apex 10 and is adapted to mounthorizontal bearing lugs 12. The lugs 12 form part of a universal joint13. The joint 13 thereby consists of a large adjustment central portionwith protruding bearing lugs 12 extending from each end. The lugs 12 arebearinged in the apex 10 of the cross beam 8. Pivotal movement in ahorizontal plane is provided by a vertically extending bolt 14 whichextends through the joint 13 and two opposed blade mounting brackets 15.The brackets are secured centrally of the length of an elongated blade16. The blade has a flat back face 17 and a forward concave surface 18and lower terminating cutting edge 19.

Mounted on the back face 17 adjacent the upper end portions thereof areball socket mountings 20 into which are inserted for universal pivotalmovement the ends of rearwardly extending piston rods 21. As describedabove,

the piston rods are selectively operable in opposite directions bytwo-way cylinders 22 having suitable hydraulic leads 23. Each cylinderis mounted on one arm of a triangular frame 24 which is located in avertical plane and extends forwardly of the tractor side frame in aspaced relationship therewith.

In operation, the piston rods 21 work through a relatively smalldistance, usually six inches or less. Thus, by using conventional balland socket mountings 20 which provide relatively loose connections,there will be no binding of the piston-cylinder mechanisms 21, 22.However, if desired, the cylinders 22 may be pivotally connected to theframe 24 in a conventional manner so that the cylinders can tilt about ahorizontal axis.

One side 25 of each frame 24 extends downwardly in a substantiallyvertical manner to terminate with a sockettype bearing 26. The bearing26 mounts the outer end of a rearwardly projecting lug 27 located on theback face 17 vertically beneath the mountings 20. A third arm 28 of theframe completes the triangular framework with a laterally extendingsocket 29 disposed in a plane slightly above that of the top of the sideframes 7.

A piston rod 30 having a normally extending bearing end 31 is adapted tolocate in each socket 29. The rods are received in double-actinghydraulic cylinders 32 having suitable hydraulic leads 33 and mountedalong the tops 34 of the side frames 7.

The novel operation of the blade will be apparent from the abovedescription. The blade may be selectively angled to either side, asindicated by the broken lines 16, by actuation of the piston-cylindermechanisms 30, 32 in opposite directions. Also, the blade 16 can bebodily raised and lowered by actuation of the side frame structure 7.

In order to adjust the cutting edge 19 of the blade 16 after it has beenangled and elevated, the piston rod 21 which is connected to the end ofthe blade nearest to the tractor is retracted. Simultaneously the pistonrod 21 which is connected to the end of the blade farthest from thetractor is extended. This opposite actuation of the piston-cylindermechanisms 21, 22 results in an actual twisting of the dozer blade 16,as generally indicated by the broken lines 16, so that the elevatedportion of the cutting edge is pivoted toward the ground while the lowerportion of the cutting edge is swung away from the ground. As a result,the entire cutting edge 19 may be disposed in substantial horizontalalignment. It is to be understood that the actual longitudinal twistingwhich is imparted to a dozer blade in accordance with the invention hasbeen exaggerated in FIGURE 1 for the purpose of clearly illustrating thenovel manner of operating the piston-cylinder mechanisms 21, 22.

the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically shown anddescribed.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable blade structure for a dozer comprising a side frameextending along each side of the dozer, a cross beam rigidly connectedbetween the forwardly extending ends of said side frames, a dozer blade,means universally connecting said blade intermediate its ends to thecenter of said cross beam, fluid operated means carried by each of saidside frames, a frame structure pivotally connected to each of said fluidoperated means for linear movement relative to said side frames, meansconnecting said frame structures to said blade at correspondinglocations near its ends, said frame structure connecting means beingdisposed in alignment with said universal connecting means and includingmeans for permitting said blade to be universally moved, and apistoncylinder mechanism carried by each of said frame struc-- tures,said piston-cylinder mechanism including piston rods connected byuniversal pivot means to the back of said blade near the upper endcorners thereof and above the frame structure connecting means, wherebythe blade can be angled by said fluid operated means and simultaneouslytwisted by opposite actuation of said piston-cylinder mechanisms tothereby dispose the bottom edge of said blade in substantial horizontalalignment.

2. An adjustable blade structure for a dozer comprising a side frameextending along each side of the dozer, a cross beam rigidly connectedbetween the forwardly extending ends of said side frames, an elongateddozer blade, means connecting said blade to said center of said crossbeam for universal movement, said blade connecting means being disposedintermediate the ends of said blade and below the horizontal centerlinethereof, a pair of substantially vertically extending frame structures,universal pivot means connecting each frame structure to the back faceof said blade near its ends, said universal pivot means and said bladeconnecting means being disposed in horizontal alignment, a fluidactuated pistoncylinder mechanism carried by each of said framestructures, universal pivot means connecting said piston-cylindermechanisms to the back face of said blade near its upper end corners,and fluid operated'means carried by each of said side frames, each ofsaid fluid operated means being pivotally connected to one of said framestructures for producing lineal movement thereof relative to said sideframes, whereby the blade can be angled by said fluid operated means andsimultaneously twisted by opposite actuation of said piston-cylindermechanisms to thereby dispose the bottom edge of said blade insubstantial horizontal alignment.

3. An-adjustable blade structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein each ofsaid frame structures comprises a triangular framework including avertical leg adjacent the back face of said blade, a horizontal top leg,and an upwardly and rearwardly extending bottom leg, saidpiston'cylinder mechanisms being carried on said horizontal top legs,said universal pivot means being disposed at the bottom ends of'saidvertical legs, and said fluid operated means being pivotally connectedto said triangular frameworks at the junctures of said horizontal toplegs and said bottom legs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,311,553 2/43 LeTourneau 37l44 2,681,518 6/54 Troop 37-144 2,687,586 8/54 Dickinson37-144 2,869,256 1/59 Pereira 37144 FOREIGN PATENTS 799,180 8/58 GreatBritain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

MILTON KAUFMAN, WILLIAM A. SMITH III,

Examiners.

1. AN ADJUSTABLE BLADE STRUCTURE FOR A DOZER COMPRISING A SIDE FRAMEEXTENDING ALONG EACH SIDE OF THE DOZER, A CROSS BEAM RIGIDLY CONNECTEDBETWEEN THE FORWARDLY EXTENDING ENDS OF SAID FRAMES, A DOZER BLADE,MEANS UNIVERSALLY CONNECTING SAID BLADE INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO THECENTER OF SAID CROSS BEAM, FLUID OPERATED MEANS CARRIED BY EACH OF SIDSIDE FRAMES, A FRAME STRUCTURE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID FLUIDOPERATED MEANS FOPR LINEAR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SIDE FRAMES, MEANSCONNECTING SAID FRAME STRUCTURES TO SAID BLADE AT CORRESPONDINGLOCATIONS NEAR ITS ENDS, SAID FRAME STRUCTURE CONNECTING MEANS BEINGDISPOSED IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID UNIVERSAL CONNECTING MEANS AND INCLUDINGMEANS FOR PERMITTING SAID BLADE TO BE UNIVERSALLY MOVED, AND APISTONCYLINDER MECHANISM CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID FRAME STRUCTURES, SAIDPISTON-CYLINDER MECHANISM INCLUDING PISTON RODS CONNECTED BY UNIVERSALPIVOT MEANS TO THE BACK OF SAID BLADE NEAR THE UPPER END CORNERS THEREOFAND ABOVE THE FRAME STRUCTURE CONNECTING MEANS, WHEREBY THE BLADE CAN BEANGLED BY SAID FLUID OPERATED MEANS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TWISTED BYOPPOSITE ACTUATION OF SAID PISTON-CYLINDER MECHANISMS TO THEREBY DISPOSETHE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID BLADE IN SUBSTANTIAL HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT.